Machine for making dipped phonograph records or blanks.



No. 781,898. PATENTED FEB. '7, 1905.

W. H. MILLER 61: J. W. AYLSWORTH. v MACHINE FOR MAKING DIPPED PHONOGRAPH RECORDS OE BLANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

Inventor fad/4,; M M

% Witnesses:

Attorneys No. 781,893. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905.

- W. H. MILLER & J. W. AYLSWORTH.

MACHINE FOR MAKING DIPPED PHONOGRAPH RECORDS OR BLANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor No. 781,893. PATBNTED FEB. '7, 1905. W. H. MILLER & J. W. AYLSWORTH.

MACHINE .FOR MAKING DIPPBD PHONOGRAPH RECORDS 0R BLANKS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 13, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor M (fi Attorneys UNITED STATES Patented February '7, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

\VALTER H. MILLER, OF ORANGE, AND JONAS \V. AYLSTVORTH, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSTGNORS, BY .MESN E ASSIGNMENTS, TO NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, OF \VEST ORANGE, NElV JERSEY, A COR- PORATION OF NElV JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING DIPPED PHONOGRAFH RECORDS OR BLANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,893, dated February 7, 1905.

Application filed March 13,1903. Serial No. 147,606.

To (tZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WALTER H. MILLER, residing at Orange, and J ONAS \V. AYLswoE'i.u, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, both citizens of the United States, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Dipped 'Phonograph Records or Blanks, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved machine which has been designed especially for producing dipped phonograph records and blanks,as described in ourPatent No. 683,615, dated October 1, 1901.

With our improved process we introduce a mold, either plain or provided interiorly with a negative representation of a phonographic record, into a molten mass of coagulable waxlike material, the mold being maintained at a lower temperature than the molten material, whereby the latter coagulates thereon to form a layer of the desired thickness. Afterward the mold is removed from the molten material, and the duplicate blank or record thus obtained is first finished on its interior and ends and then separated from the mold by a radial shrinkage. In practice we find that the best results are secured when the mold is immersed in the molten wax-like material with a uniform movement, because if the mold is arrested in its descent even momentarily the material tends to irregularly coagulate thereon and forms objectionable rings and markings in the finished article. In carrying out the special process described in our patent we find also that care has to be taken not to immerse the mold in the material for too long a time, because otherwise the mold becomes objectionably heated and the coagulated layer will tend to drop off. At the same time the mold should not be immersed for too short a period, because otherwise the accumulated layer will not be thick enough. The proper time during which the mold should remain immersed in the molten material depends, obviously, upon the character of the latter, as

well, of course, as upon the temperature (T the mold.

The object of our invention is to present an apparatusin simple and effective form wherein the mold will be introduced into the molten material with an absolutely regular movement and wherein a notification will be given to the operator of the expiration of the proper fixed time of immersion.

To this end theinvention consists in the features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, attention is directed to the ac companying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus in its preferred form; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a front view; Fig. 1, a detailed section of the bottom of the dippingcan and mold therein; Fig. 5, a separate elevation of the signal-operating mechanism; Fig.

6, a separate sectional view of the main clockwork-shaft and drum thereon, and Fig. 7 a plan view of the same parts looking in the di- 7o rection of the arrow Fig. 6.

in all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals of reference.

A tank 1 contains the wax-like material maintained in a molten condition, preferably slightly above the melting-point. This tank supports the legs or standards 2 of the dipping apparatus, said legs or standards carrying a top plate or frame 3 at their upper ends. Extending downwardly from the top frame are rods 4: 4 at each side, connected together at their lower ends by plates 5. Guide rods 6 extend between the plates 5 and the top frame 3. the guide-rods 6 are sleeves 7 7, formed on a yoke 8, having acentral opening therein for receiving a dipping-can 9. The bottom of this dipping-can is formed with a groove 10 (see Fig. 1) for receiving a rib on the bottom of the mold 11. By arranging the mold within adipping-can the former will be surrounded Mounted to slide longitudinally of 85.

by air, so as to be kept relatively 0001. Connecting-rods 12 extend between the yoke 8 and an'upper yoke 13, formed with sleeves 14, also movable on the guide-rods 6. Extending upwardly from the yoke 13 are connectingrods 15, secured together at their tops by a cross-head 16, through which extends a rod 17, adjustably connected with the cross-head by a set-screw 18. The rod 17 is guided in a bearing carried by a stationary yoke 19, supported by standards 20 from the top of a dash-pot cylinder 21. A piston 22 works in this cylinder and connects with the lower end of the rod 17. This piston is provided with a petcock 23, which may be opened more or less to regulate the descent of the cylinder. Since the piston 22 remains in the upper part of the dash-pot cylinder for a sufiicientlength of time to permit the mold carrying the deposited wax-like material therein to be removed and a fresh mold to beintroduced within the dipping-can, opportunity is offered for an equalization of air-pressure on both sides of the piston, so as to do away with the necessity for providing the latter with special valves.

Depending from the top frame or plate 3 is a latch 24, adapted to engage the yoke 13 when the latter is elevated to maintain the dipping-can above the level of the molten material. When a mold is to be immersed, it is only necessary to withdraw the latch and permit the parts to descend by gravity. In order to elevate the mold, I connect a cord 25 with the upper end of the rod 17 and run it over pulleys 26 to a handle 27 within convenient reach of the operator.

In its preferred form the invention employs a signal arranged to give a notification to the operator when the mold has been immersed for the required length of time. This signal may be either visual or audible; but it is preferably a visual signal, since the use of bells would create confusion in an establishment where a large number of the machines were used side by side. The mechanism for operating the signal is inclosed in a casing 28 and comprises clockwork mechanism 29 of any suitable type operated from aspring-drum 30. The clockwork mechanism operates a shaft 31, on which is keyed a ratchet-wheel 32, having fine teeth. Loosely mounted on the shaft 31 is a drum 33, having an integral disk 34, formed with a cut-away portion 35. This disk is provided on its rear face with a pawl 36 for engaging the ratchet-teeth 32. \Vhen the drum 33 is stationary, the clockwork mechanism rotates the ratchet-wheel 32 away from the pawl 36. Extending around the drum 33 is a cord, thread, or fine chain 37, connected with a light spring 38. ries a cord, thread, or fine chain 39,wound in the same direction as the cord 37 and connected to a heavy spiral spring 40, the lower end of which is connected to an adjustable arm 41 The drum 33 also car' on one of the connecting-rods 12. The disk 34 is formed with a finger 42, adapted to normally engage with a pin 43, carried on a lever 44, pivoted on the shaft 31 and whose lower end is locked in any position within the slot 45 by a thumb-nut 46. A contact-spring 47, carried on an insulating-block 48, normally occupies a position opposite the slot 45; but when the disk 34 is rotated this contact-spring will engage the periphery of the disk to close a circuit on a lamp 49, said circuit including the clockwork mechanism, as shown. When an audible signal is desired, this circuit may operate an electric bell.

In operation we proceed as follows: The dipping-can being elevated and the cross-head 13 being locked by the latch 24, a mold is introduced within the dipping-can and seated in the groove 10. This elevation of the parts releases the tension on the heavy spring 40, so as to permit the light spring 38 to rotate the drum 33 to bring the finger 42 in engagen'lent with the stop-pin 43. The latch 24 is now released, permitting the mold, dipping-can, cross-head 8, connecting-rods 12, cross-head 13, connecting-rods 15, and piston 22 to descend by gravity. This descent will be uniform and will be controlled by the passage of air through the petcock 23. By opening this petcock more or less the descent of the parts may be increased or diminished, as will be understood. As soon as the mold is immersed the tension imposed on the strong spring 40 will overcome the tension of the weak spring 38 and will tend to rotate the drum 33 in a forward direction; but this movement will be resisted by the engagement of the pawl 36 with the ratchet-wheel 32. Consequently the drum 33 cannot move forward any faster than the clockwork mechanism will allow it. As soon as the rim of the disk 34 engages the contact-spring 47 the circuit will be closed on the lamp 49, and when this occurs the operator will elevate the parts and remove the mold. By varying the position of the stop-pin 43 the drum 33 will be brought to rest at the desired point to give the correct interval of time between the normal position of the contactspring 47 and the end of the cut-away portion of the disk 34, so that in this way the period of immersion of the mold can be varied to any desired extent.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. 1n apparatus for dipping phonograph records or blanks, the combination with moldimmersing mechanism, of a constantly-operating clockwork, a contact-disk arranged to be coupled to the clockwork by the descent of the mold-immersing mechanism, and a signal operated from said disk, substantially as set forth.

2. In apparatus for dipping phonograph records or blanks, the combination with moldimmersing mechanism, of a constantly-operating clockwork, a contact-disk arranged to be coupled to the clockwork by the descent of the mold-immersing mechanism, and a visual signal operated from said disk, substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus for dipping phonograph records or blanks, the combination with moldimmersing mechanism, of a constantly-operating clockwork, a contact-disk adapted to be connected to the clockwork by the descent of the mold-immersing mechanism, an adjustable stop for limiting the starting position of the disk,-and an electric signal controlled by the movements of the disk, substantially as set forth.

4. In apparatus for dipping phonograph records or blanks, the combination of a tank for containing molten material, a support carrying a signaling mechanism and a downwardly-movable mold-carrier, and connections whereby the descent of said mold-carrier causes the signaling mechanism to be set in motion, substantially as set forth.

5. In apparatus for dipping phonograph records or blanks, the combination of a tank for containing molten material, a support carrying a signaling mechanism and a downwardly-movable mold-carrier, and connections whereby the descent of said mold-carrier causes the production of a signal at a definite time after its descent, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for dipping phonograph records or blanks, the combination of a tank for containing molten material, a support carrying a signaling mechanism and a downwardly-movable mold-carrier, and connections whereby the descent of said mold-carrier causes the production of a visual signal at a definite time after its descent, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 9th day of March, 1903.

WALTER H. MILLER. JONAS w. AYLSWORTH.

WVitnesses:

FRANK L. DYER, J NO. RoBT. TAYLOR. 

